(Ayurvedic) Vedic Diet

Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care that is developed in India over 5000 years ago. This ancient science is about health, and not merely disease specific and it takes into account the patient's entire well-being. The term "Ayurveda" is coined from the word ayur which means "life",  and the word veda, which means "knowledge". Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life", or "knowledge for a long life".

Tridosha system

The central concept of Ayurveda  is based on the balance between the three fundamental doshas that help to preserve health.. There are three doshas namely-Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are the fundamental operating principles in our physiology. Every individual has a predominant body type based on the doshas.

• Vata is responsible for all movements in the body — circulations of blood, movement of food down the digestive tract, elimination of waste products, mental activity, etc.
•  Pitta governs transformation and metabolism such as digestion of food and its transformation into bodily tissues.
• Kapha is responsible for growth and gives solidity to the tissues, holds together different parts of the body and balances the bodily fluids.

Each dosha could be further associated with specific qualities like Vata is associated with cold, lightness, dryness and movement; Pitta with heat, sharpness and acidity; Kapha with cold, heaviness, lethargy. When these doshas are out of balance illness and diseases occur. Ayurvedic treatment is a healthy answer  to help restore balance and good health. An imbalance in the dosha, unhealthy food and lifestyle can upset the whole internal functioning  

7 Dhatus

Food consumed by us, nourishes our bodies. According to the science of Ayurveda ,this process involves seven steps.. These are known as “Sapt (7) –Dhatus”. These are:

1. Body Fluids or Rasa  which provides nourishment to the other six dhatus. It's a transporter of body – Plasma fluids.
2. Blood or Raktha . Like Rasa, provides energy to all other five dhatus. Also is responsible for the color/complexion to body.
3. Muscles or Mamsa. This aids in the  movements to the body  especially the muscular system of the body.
4. Adipose tissue or Meda . Helps in the storage of energy in the form of fat
5. Bones or Ashti Bears the weight of the body and  helps to make it stand upright and also the skeletal system.
6. Bone Marrow or Majja. Mainly responsible for nourishment of bones and other body parts.
7. Sperm and Ovum or Shukra. For the regeneration process. These  essential seven dhatus hold the body together as a unit to provide strength for life.

Ayurvedic tastes

Ayurveda holds that the tastes of foods or herbs have specific physiological effects. There are 6 different types of tastes.

1.Madhura or Sweet

Sweet foods nourish, cools, moistens, oils, and increases weight

Eg- sugar, honey, rice, milk, cream butter

2. Amla or Sour

Sour foods warmsEg – lemon, tomatoes, cheese, citric fruits, yogurt

3. Lavan or Salty

Salty foods enhances taste of food and increases weight.Eg- chips, namkeens

4. Katu or Bitter

Bitter foods purify and cool and helpsdecreases weight

Eg- leafy vegetables, bitter gourd, turmeric, cucumber

5. Tikta or pungent

Pungent foods are warm, dry.

Eg- garlic,ginger,onions, raddish, chilipowder

6. Kasaya or Astringent

Astringent foods help to reduce stickiness and are cooling.

Eg- apples, broccoli,cabbage,cauliflower,peas,beans, lentils, potato

According to Ayurveda the meals are complete when all the rasas /tastes are present. These rasas will benefit health and also help in balancing the three dosha.

Vata- is influenced or balanced by sour, salty and sweet taste.

Pitta- is influenced or balanced  by bitter, sweet and astringent tastes.

Kapha is influenced or balanced by pungent, bitter and astringent taste.

Ama is a product of improper indigestion .It is a white, sticky substance that clogs all normal channels of flow in the body. Which are essential for the passage of blood and lymph and energy. Ama is the precursor to a host of diseases and it causes symptoms like lethargy, dullness, and white coating on tongue.

Ojas- has opposite properties of ama. Ama can be eliminated by eating healthy foods and by following a proper routine. When you have ojas in your body there is lightness in the body, feel energetic, perfect immunity, physical strength and stamina.

Dietary guidelines for Vata dosha

The diet should be-

• 40-50%- whole grains ( wheat/ rice/ oats)
• 10-20%- proteins ( milk, well cooked light dal like moong)
• 20-30%- cooked vegetables and salad
• 10%- fruits ( have more banana, grapes, dates- can be had like a dessert with sweet spices)
• Little ghee (1-2 tsp/ day) is good to neutralise the dryness and wind in vata dosha.

Vata pacifying foods

Vata is a cold, dry dosha .So warm, heavy foods are nourishing. Salty, sweet foods are satisfying and soothing.

• Milk (warm), cream, butter, warm soup with cream , vegetables stews with ghee etc are ideal.
• Sweet spices like cinnamon (dalchini), cardamom (elaichi), fennel (saunf), cumin (jeera) and ginger. These spices could be added to food and had.
• Cooked grains/ cereals like wheat, rice, oats with milk and sugar/ jaggery. E.g. - sweet dalia, rice kheer or oats with milk amd cinnamon.
• Nuts like almonds, walnut.
• Avoid salted and fried snacks.
• All sweet fruits like banana, mango, grapes, and dates.
• Lassi is cooling and  good for lowering excess vata.
• Vegetables like beet, carrots, pumpkin, green beans; okra (bhindi) are recommended
• Avoid leafy vegetables, cabbage,cauliflower,broccoli as these vegetables are gas forming. Eat well cooked sprouts as raw  sprouts can cause gas.
• Have moong dal often. Avoid heavy to digest and gaseous dals like chana (Bengal gram), rajma(kidney beans), urad (black gram) and lobia (cow pea) to name a few.

Dietary guidelines for Pitta dosha

The diet should be –

• 40-50%- whole grains (wheat, rice, ragi, barley, oats)
• 15-20%- proteins (cold milk, buttermilk, dals)
• 30-40%- vegetables and raw salad( have lots of green salad like  as it is cooling)
• 15%- fresh fruits (apples, peach, pear).

Avoid too much spices, acidic and sour foods as these foods can increase pitta dosha.

Pitta pacifying foods

Pitta represents fire, so people with prominent pitta dosha should eat cool or slightly warm food and not steaming hot food. Bitter, sweet and astringent food is good. Food should less spicy and less oily Have plenty of salads.Also have legumes like lentils, soybeans, moong, and chickpea.

• Cool, refreshing foods with less salt, oil and spices (garlic, hot peppers, tomatoes, raddish, onions) are good, as also cold soups, salads, and sprouts.. A cold cereal (oats, wheat flakes with cold milk) with cinnamom for breakfast is a good option.
• Have cooked vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, leafy vegetables, potato should be had.
• Pickles, sour foods, sour yogurt, cheese and fermented food should be avoided by people with strong pitta dosha.
• Red meat should be avoided as it is heaty, also should eat less of non-vegetarian food with less spices.
• Fried, oily salty food like namkeens, chips and processed foods should be avoided.
• Avoid sour fruits grapes, oranges, pineapple, papaya, grapefruits and lemon.
• Skim milk and buttermilk are good
• Pitta dominant people should consume lots of liquids in the form of plain water (not ice cold but room temperature), coconut water, vegetable juices, cold soups, cold skim milk, and buttermilk. Too much of lemon water will aggravate pitta.

Dietary guidelines for kapha dosha

The diet should be-

• 30-40%-whole grains (bajra/ jowar/ ragi)
• 20%- proteins (dal, sprouts)
• 30-40%- cooked vegetables and raw salad (beans, leafy vegetables)
• 10-20%- fresh fruits (apples, peach, pear, pomegranate, guava)
  The diet should be light and low in fat.

Kapha pacifying foods

Kapha is a slow dosha and will be in imbalance by eating oily, fried and sweet food. For kapha dominant people the food should be light with minimum butter/ oil/ fat /sugar and food should be warm. Pungent, and astringent taste will  help pacify kapha.

• Have warm food and avoid cold foods. The food should be well cooked using healhty cooking methods like grilling, baking, roasting, steaming or boiling food. Avoid deep fried foods.
• Cold juices, cold cereals with milk tend to create congestion. Milk should be avoided.
• Raw foods like salads, sprouts are very good.
• All vegetables are good for kapha which are cooked in less oil/ fat.
• Fruits are good except for sweet fruits like mango, chickoo and banana (especially should be avoided by kapha dosha people). Very juicy sweet fruits like musk melon/ cantaloupe/ pineapple should be eaten in less quantity.
• Avoid rice, wheat, instead eat other cereals like jowar bajra, ragi.
• Have thin  buttermilk but other dairy products like curd, paneer and milk should be  avoided or eaten in very small quantities.
• Ginger tea/ ginger water is good for kapha

Dosha timing (kaal) in a day

• 6 am to 10 am- kapha
• 10 am- 2 pm- pitta
• 2 pm to 6 pm- vata
• 6pm- 10pm- kapha
• 10pm to 2 am- pitta
• 2 am to 6 am- vata

This tells us which dosha is dominant during which time (kaal) of the day. This gives us a guideline to eat foods which are favourable to a particular dosha at a given time of day. Eg- 9am (b’fast) - fruits (it is kapha time so avoid heavy food and milk). Similarly it is best to have a early lunch by 12 noon as it is pitta time and food will be digested properly.

Healing foods according to Ayurveda

• Lemon- it is purifying, nourishing and stimulates digestion.
• Ghee- it is  recommended for rejuvenation and longevity. It aids digestion and helps calms nerves. But ghee is high in calories and thus should be had in moderation, 1 tsp a day.
• Almonds-it is nourishing and  has high nutrient value.
• Moong dal- best legume with excellent digestibility and health promoting qualities.
• Ginger- it promotes digestion .
• Cumin seeds (jeera)- it helps in digestion and reduces ama.
• Leafy vegetables- nutritive and purifying.

Helpful tips for good health:

• Instead of normal salt use “senda namak” this salt has more minerals than normal table salt.
• Do not store water for more than 1 day. You should fill fresh water daily. Keep the water in sunlight for 2-3 hours. This water has solar energy in it and is very good for health.
• To avoid congestion/kapha, add pipramul to milk and boil. In this way the kapha aggravating properties of milk will be neutralized.
• To reduce acidity, have tulsi (basil) juice.
• Have ginger water to improve digestion. Ginger water+ lemon is also good.
• Have  thin buttermilk (not sour) any time of the day it is refreshing and reduces acidity.

VEDIC  FOODS

Vedic foods are wholesome, natural, living foods. Natural vedic nutrition is all about eating the right foods where 60 to 70 percent of it is raw. Cooking destroys most nutrients. These natural foods help to correct and maintain balance of the three main doshas  like vata, kapha, and pitta . These foods also help to detoxify and cleanse our system and help to improve digestion. Vedic foods include raw vegetables, other roots and vegetables, legumes, fruits, clean water, herbs, spices, lentils, seeds, nuts and whole grains. These foods contain enzymes and other compounds that play an important role in improving our natural body processes and can act as powerful medicine in preventing diseases and in boosting mental and physical energy. Healthy digestion is the benchmark for good physical as well as mental health. Unhealthy or incomplete digestion encourages fermentation and leads to an altered environment in the stomach and intestinal tract. This is one of the main causes of acidosis. Poor digestion, absorption and assimilation results in toxin production and  poor  cellular activity which upsets the immune system leading to various diseases and premature aging.

Symptoms of poor digestion include fatigue, obesity, allergies, constipation, anemia, liver, diarrhea, cancer and digestive diseases and disorders.

Follow these tips and guidelines daily for better health and vigor:

• Have an early dinner. Heavy meals at night can cause indigestion and can lead to fermentation in the gut.
• Eat when you are hungry.
• Chew well before swallowing.
• Use healthy cooking methods like steaming, stir frying, boiling, baking. Avoid deep frying.
• Opt for vegetarianism. Vegetarian diet is easier to digest and are less acidic in nature.. You can choose a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, raw foods, sprouts, millets and lentils and pulses.
• Avoid stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, refrigerated foods, soft drinks, cakes, pastries, biscuits, fried snacks.

For breakfast you can choose from the following –ragi porridge, cereals like oatmeal with low fat milk , or a plate of fruits or poha or uppma with less oil.

Mid morning .. choose from fresh vegetable juice or a glass of buttermilk

For lunch you can choose from the following.. whole wheat rotis, or millet rotis or brown rice with vegetables, sprout salad and low fat yogurt.

Evening.. unsalted nuts or fruits

For dinner you can have the following.. Soup, steamed or stir fry vegetables and salads or phulkas with vegetables and salad, or rice,dal khichdi with salad .

Follow these guidelines and the diet as often as you can .Have a positive attitude and take charge of your own health. Choose the right foods and maintain moderation to ensure long term health and vitality.